Shuttlers upset over sponsorship agreement money

Shuttlers upset over sponsorship agreement money

JAKARTA (JP): Several shuttlers expressed their disappointment
on Friday over their share of a sponsorship deal, which they said
broke a verbal agreement made with Badminton Association of
Indonesia (PBSI) late last year.

The shuttlers, who requested anonymity, complained about the
amount of money paid them from the deal, which they said violated
the agreement they reached with the association. They said men's
doubles shuttlers would receive the largest share, followed by
the men's singles and mixed doubles, and then the women's singles
and women's doubles.

"How can the top mixed doubles pair, who won silver medals at
the Olympics last year, only receive Rp 40 millions (US$4,000)
each while the country's top women's doubles pair, who have won
nothing for two years, will get Rp 30 million. It is not fair,"
one of the shuttlers said.

"The shuttlers held discussions with PBSI officials late last
year and we submitted our proposal on the distribution of the
money. Apparently three months after the discussion, they did
nothing but go back to square one," another player stated.

The verbal agreement between the shuttlers and the association
was reached after shuttlers asked PBSI to allow them to sign
individual sponsorship deals, apart from the collective deal with
Japanese-based sports equipment producer Yonex, who pays $1.1
million per year for its deal.

But the request was rejected by PBSI officials, who cited the
contract with Yonex that states any cosponsorships must be worth
at least $300,000.

PBSI received $250,000 from Yonex for the three-month contract
period from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, and is entitled to keep half of
this money according to a mutual agreement with the shuttlers.

The remaining $125,000 was then distributed to all national
shuttlers using a "ranking system", which looks at their
achievements over that period.

Men's singles shuttlers who took part in the Olympics top the
revenue list, with world number five Taufik Hidayat receiving Rp
73.9 million, followed by Hendrawan with Rp 62 million and Marlev
Mainaky with Rp 50.1 million.

In the women's singles, Lidya Djaelawidjaja received Rp 11
million while Ellen Angelina and Yuli Marfuah got some Rp 6.8
million each. Their shares, apparently, were the smallest
received by any of the veteran shuttlers.

"It is such a pity that they (women's singles shuttlers)
received such a small amount of money," one shuttler commented.

Men's doubles shuttlers Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan, who
won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, each received Rp 60.3
million. Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian received Rp 50.7 million
each and Halim Heryanto and Sigit Budiarto Rp 31.4 million. Ricky
Subagja and Rexy Mainaky were each given Rp 18 million.

Etty Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta, the top women's doubles
pair, received some Rp 30.5 million each, followed by Deyana
Lomban and Elysa Nathanael with Rp 23.4 million each. Carmelita,
Indarti Issoliana and Vita Marissa were given Rp 9.3 million
each.

Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur, Olympic silver medalists,
got Rp 40 million each while Bambang Suprianto and Zelin Resiana
received Rp 33 million each.

Nine other players who failed to crack the world top 15 each
received Rp 4.2 million.

Despite allegedly breaking the verbal agreement on the
distribution of the money, the shuttlers said PBSI did bump up
shuttlers' rankings in order to increase their shares.

Players also questioned PBSI's decision to distribute some of
the money to shuttlers who are no longer at the national
badminton center.

Women's doubles player Elysa Nathanael, for example, left the
center following the Sydney Olympic but still received a share of
the money.

"How come Elysa, who is no longer at the center, still
received money for a period of time after she had already left?
It is just not fair," a player said.

It also appears that PBSI took advantage of the difference
between the actual exchange rate for the rupiah and the one used
to pay the shuttlers.

PBSI used an exchange rate of Rp 8,000 against the U.S. dollar
when paying the shuttlers, while the current rate is above Rp
10,000 to the dollar. With a total of $125,000 being distributed
to the shuttlers, PBSI would pocket at least Rp 250 million from
the rate difference. (nvn/yan)